Rescue teams pull man from sea off Hartlepool

Tom Patterson

Lifeboat crews and an air ambulance were scrambled to deal with a sea rescue off Hartlepool.

The incident happened earlier this evening near The Heugh Gun Battery, on the town's Headland, and involved the coastguard, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the North East Ambulance Service.

It is understood a 20-year-old man has been taken to hospital after being brought ashore by the town lifeboat crew.

He is believed to have been one of a four-strong crew on board a fishing boat.

His condition is not known but he is understood to have been taken to hospital by road

The North East Air Ambulance helicopter was also involved in the operation.

It is understood an ambulance was called to Hartlepool Lifeboat station just before 7pm to deal with a patient.

A rapid response vehicle, an ambulance and the North East Air Ambulance were sent to the scene.

A coastguard spokesman confirmed an incident was "ongoing" but said they were unable to make any further comment at the moment.

The incident comes just three days after 17-year-old Liam Hall lost his life in a tragedy off the coast of Sunderland on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police also confirmed they were involved in an incident but said they could make no further comment as inquiries are continuing.

A spokesman for the North East Ambulance Service said: "We received a call at 6.55pm to say a man had been pulled from the water.

"The patient was at Hartlepool Lifeboat Station. We sent a rapid response paramadic, a double-crewed ambulance and called out the Great North Air Ambulance.